


The Color of Your Heart

by obisgirl



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-10
Updated: 2015-02-10
Packaged: 2018-03-11 13:21:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3328166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/obisgirl/pseuds/obisgirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Killian receives an anonymous note to meet someone for coffee at Granny’s diner.  He’s know it’s not from Emma because it’s not her handwriting.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Color of Your Heart

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Once Upon a Time characters are property of Disney and Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis. This fanfic is for pure entertainment.

It’s been a relatively quiet two weeks since the Snow Queen’s defeat and Belle expelled Rumplestiltskin from the town. Emma was on edge for at least three days, waiting for the next big bad to show up because peace and quiet never lasts this long and then Killian convinced her to relax and enjoy the calm.

Belle mostly kept to herself after Rumple’s banishment, too ashamed to show her face or even talk to anyone about what he had done.

And then one morning, Killian receives a note at the front desk at Granny’s Bed and Breakfast that someone wants to meet him for coffee at the diner. Killian knows right away it isn’t from Emma because it isn’t her handwriting but the penmanship is definitely female.

Killian stuffs the note in his jacket pocket and makes his way to Granny’s diner. The moment he steps into the diner, he scans it for the possible author of the said note and then, he spots Belle seated at the back of the diner (her first public appearance in two weeks).

Killian has nothing against Belle; he did once because he didn't understand how she could love someone like the Dark One but she surprised him. Of all the people to stand up against Rumple and expel him, he least expected her to do it.

Still, he walks calmly over to the booth and smiles at her sympathetically, removing the note from his pocket.

“This from you I take it?” he asks.

Belle smiles sheepishly. “It is,” she confirms, “I felt awkward asking for a meeting with you. I thought if I asked you directly that you wouldn’t talk to me,”

Killian looks at her oddly and then sits down across from her. “Why would you think that?” he counters.

Belle shrugs. “Because of what my husband did to you,” she reasons, “You were his slave for who knows how long and he forced you to do stuff against your will, terrible things I’m sure that you didn’t want to do,”

“I have a dark history with the Dark One, Belle,” he reminds her.

“But that doesn’t mean what he did to you was right, or it was something you deserved because it wasn’t,” Belle says resolutely, “I know what Rumple did to you was horrible and I can never fully make up for what he did, but I want you know Killian, I am sorry,”

“Why are you sorry?”

“Because...I let my love for him blind me that I didn’t see what he was really doing until it was too late. I always wanted to believe that there was good in him, that he could be more than the darkness that controlled him but I was wrong,” Belle confesses.

“You shouldn't apologize on his behalf Belle. What the Dark One did to me, he did himself. You didn't force his hand; I, however did,” Killian admits.

“No,” Belle says definatly, “No matter what you think Hook, you did not deserve what happened to you. Don’t forget, I saw your heart. And then I remember seeing your heart inside the clock tower -- and I remember what I said to you, two years ago I think that your heart was rotten. You’re not the same person anymore,”

Killian shrugs. “Sometimes, I’m not sure about that meself,” he muses, “I still did things that wouldn’t qualify me as a hero,”

“Against your will because he had your heart. You didn't let him borrow your heart. He took it from you and made you do awful things,"

Killian raises an eyebrow. “To be fair, my heart was rotten then and had been for many years,” he adds.

“But you aren’t like that now. The color of your heart says that you aren’t. It’s pure, bright red and I suspect, it’s been like that for awhile now. I was wrong Killian and I’m sorry,” she says, smiling at him proudly and then frowns, “I’ve always believed in second chances and people can change. I thought Rumple could change but I was wrong about him,”

Killian watches her fiddle with the wedding ring on her finger.

“Ever since that first kiss in his castle, all I’ve wanted was him but I was never enough,” she cries, “I would have been happy with him for the rest of my life; the dagger meant nothing to me. I never cared about magic or having it all,”

“Lady Belle,” Killian starts, “I won’t speak ill of the Dark One in front of you but I promise you, one day, you will be enough for someone. What you did, for me and everyone at the townline was the bravest thing ever and you shouldn’t feel guilty or punish yourself for it. You did the right thing because that’s what heroes do,”

Belle wipes a tear from her eye and smiles at him bravely. “It was the right thing to do,” she agrees, “it was hard, painful but it was the right thing. I always wanted to be a hero,”

“I’d say you are,” Killian agrees, “You saved everyone Belle. That’s what heroes do,”

“It’s been hard seeing myself as one the past couple of weeks,” she admits, “I know I banished him but he’s a master at finding loopholes in everything. He’ll find a way back here,”

“I’m sure he will,”

“I personally would not blame you if you sought some kind of retribution. No one should have to go through what you did,” she reasons.

Killian studies her a moment. “You wouldn’t stop me if he did,” he realizes, “but he’s your true love,”

“He isn’t the man I fell in love with anymore,” Belle concedes, “And I think it would take a miracle for him to be that person again,”

“I’m not in the vengeance business anymore love,” Killian continues, “I know what your husband did to me and I would have every right go after him if he ever showed his face in Storybrooke again but that’s not who I am anymore. I’ve found a better purpose, one that I think is worthy fighting for more than revenge,”

“It wouldn’t happen to be a blond sheriff with an affinity for leather jackets?” she teases.

“Emma is worthy fighting, dying for and more -- and more than anything, I still want to prove that I am worthy of her love,” he says, “I want to prove to her and her family that I’ve changed,”

“Well, I’ve seen your heart and you have changed; you’re not the same vengeance obsessed pirate I met two years ago,”

“I’m still a pirate love,”

“But you’re a hero. I know it may not seem like it, especially after what you’ve been through but I see you Killian Jones and you are a good man,” Belle continues, “I hope you realize that about yourself,”

He smiles. “It’s hard to reconcile sometimes,” he admits.

“It shouldn’t be,” Belle tells him and sighs, “I thought I knew what a good man looked like but I didn’t really,”

“The Dark One is paying for his mistakes now Belle but you shouldn’t. I know you probably still feel tormented that somehow what happened is your fault, but the truth is, it’s not your fault. Everything he did, he did for him; not for you,”

“I haven’t really had a chance to talk to anyone about what happened, I felt so ashamed that I couldn’t face anyone because I thought that they would blame me and I somehow deserved the blame. But then I woke up this morning and realized, if there was anyone who could help me understand, it was you,” Belle admits.

Killian shakes his head. “Like I said Belle, the Dark One’s mistakes are his; not yours,” he reminds her, “but he’s not entirely to blame either,”

“Neither are you,” she observes, “Rumple lied to me about the dagger, about what he doing; you lied to protect Emma. I think what Rumple did to me is far worse,”

“Perhaps,” he reasons, “but I was selfish,”

“You really can’t see how much you’ve changed, can you?” she counters.

“Like how you should take all the blame for what Rumple did? I won’t allow that Belle,”

“Fair enough,” Belle concedes.

“Your heart is about as pure as mine is but make no mistake, lady Belle, no one is perfect,” Killian reminds her, “I still have a tiny black on my heart,”

“But it is tiny Killian,” Belle continues, “and you’re right, no one is perfect. We are flawed but the color of your heart, defines who you are and you are a truly good man Killian,”

Killian blushes and smiles.

“There is one more thing. I found your hand in Rumple’s shop,” Belle starts.

“I don’t want it,” he says quickly.

“I know Rumple gave it you for a price but I’m not my husband. He took your hand, you didn’t give it willingly so if you want it, you can have it. I’d even ask Blue to help re-attach it if you like,”

“That’s very kind of you Belle but really, I don’t want it,” he says again, “The Dark One played mind games with me over me hand and I know, they were only mind games but I don’t want my hand. Maybe one day but I still don’t deserve it now,”

“Okay,” she says, “Just remember, I know the color of your heart Killian and whether you believe it or not, you are a good man,”

They’re interrupted by the ringing of the front bell and they both look to see who it is and it’s Emma. She smiles at them both, going to counter to pick up her coffee and then walks over.

“Hey,” she says, surprised to see her boyfriend and Belle together. “Everything okay?”

“I was just --- I needed to talk to your boyfriend about some things,” Belle admits and starts to scoot out of the booth, “Enjoy your coffee date,”

“Hey Belle,” Emma calls after her, “How are you holding up?”

“Better,” she says, winking at Killian, “You really are a very lucky woman to have found him, to have someone with that pure of heart,”

Emma smiles at her and Belle ducks away, leaving the diner. She turns around to Killian and scoots into the booth next to him, coffee in hand. “I don’t know what the hell you two were talking about but hearts over coffee?”

Killian chuckles. “Do you think I have a good heart Swan?” he questions.

“Good as in healthy?”

“Good as in true, noble, pure,” he defines.

Emma puts down her coffee and places her hand on his chest and smiles. “Yes, I do,” she tells him, “I saw your heart too, Killian. I held it in my hands and yes, there is some darkness in it but I also know how much you’ve changed; what you’ve given up for me and that kind of sacrifice isn’t something done by someone with a dark heart,”

Killian kisses her with all his heart and Emma’s breathless when he pulls away.

“Easy there tiger, it’s only morning,” she breaths.

“I only want to be worthy of you Swan, of your love,” he whispers.

“You are,” she promises, “Trust me, you are Killian. I know the color of your heart and I know it’s so full of love that you could feel it for me even without it. But since we’re on the topic, please never do anything like that again,”

“Aye, as you wish love.”

The End


End file.
